The Utah Mammoth didn’t make the loudest offseason splash, but the way they’ve handled things is starting to look a lot smarter in light of what just happened around the league.
Utah has already checked off most of its biggest summer business. The team traded away one player, brought in a couple of others - including a superstar - and added a valuable veteran.
It hasn’t been the flashiest path, but the results have looked strong. And now an eye-popping offer sheet from the Philadelphia Flyers to Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson only sharpens that picture.
The Flyers, in what can only be described as a massive gamble, went after the restricted free agent with a five-year deal carrying an $18M AAV. Carlsson, the No. 2 pick in the 2023 NHL draft, has already turned into a star.
In the 2025-26 season, he put up 29 goals and 38 assists for 67 points. But the price tag doesn’t stop at the money.
Anaheim would also receive four of Philadelphia’s next five first-round picks if the offer sheet is signed.
That’s a staggering haul to give up for a 21-year-old, even one who has become a superstar. The Ducks could still match the offer and keep Carlsson, but they have only seven days to make that call, and the cost is enormous. Anaheim has said before that it would try to match any offer sheet, but this one creates a far tougher decision than usual.
For Utah, the contrast is the point. The Mammoth could have chased a bigger name and thrown a huge extension at him.
Instead, they kept plenty of youth and assets while still adding veterans Vincent Trocheck and Anders Lee. Rather than commit nearly $20 million to one player, Utah chose a broader build.
Why pay about $18 million for one star when Trocheck and Lee together come in under $12 million?
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Russos value has been built over time, from his NHL background with the Detroit Red Wings to the steady presence he has provided in the AHL. He already sits as the Roadrunners all-time leader in assists by a defenseman and ranks near the top of the franchises blue-line categories, which helps explain why Tucson wanted to keep the relationship going as it looks ahead to the next stretch. [Read more 🡒]